Desert
by Bat-dove
Summary: The truth... read on to see...


Through the desert lie sands, deceit and secrets. Few know of the true secrets that lie hidden in the sand, nor the secrets that lay before their very eyes.

"Come child."

And a child followed. Behind the traveling men he looked up and frowned. They were like the rest of this place. So different from his own milky pale skin that was dusted lightly with small dots. Brown eyes of the country to his foreign green orbs. He followed the man. For he had nowhere else to go.

"What is your name child?" the man who called him over asked. The child looked up at the man.

"My mama called me little one. I don't remember my name," he said earnestly. The man rubbed his temples. He sighed softly. He looked at the boy again who had sand coating his hair so well it was impossible to tell color.

"I am Asim little one. I am a nomad," he said to the young child, "as well as the others here, Baniti," he said pointing at another man who was covered from head to toe in a very warm and dark cloth, "Madu," he said pointing to a man dressed like a merchant dealing with the camels that were carrying goods, "and Minkabh," he said pointing at the last man whose face was covered to protect himself from the cruel winds of the desert.

"You will from this day forth be Jumoke. Our student and child," Asim declared. The small boy smiled and followed the man, his bare feet leaving small prints in the sand that would disappear shortly with time, as if no one had walked the path before.

Years later.

"Asim," yelled a familiar voice. The older man turned around to see his nephew running up to him at a slow speed.

"Yes Jumoke?" he asked. The young man smiled at his uncle. His head was covered by a red cloth that covered his hair and swept over across his nose and mouth hiding all but his bright green eyes and tale tell pale skin from the world.

"I have water," he said softly. His uncle looked at him and whispered back.

"How far to an oasis?" he asked. His nephew smiled, "Not too far. Although there is a building not too far from it."

"Is it familiar?" he asked in a hushed tone.

"It is. If we go we should not stay long," he stated. Asim nodded. He walked over to other nomads to alert them that they were going toward an oasis.

Things had changed in the past few years. People came. People went. People changed. More so Jumoke than anyone. Though only Asim knew why. Jumoke smiled and ran toward the oasis. It was faster that way.

Every day. Always the same. A routine in the week. Jumoke was constant in the group. He was always known about, and when he was around he was usually lively and talkative. But he would leave for two or three days a week to look for hidden oases that lay ahead. He was quite the runner.

He smiled as he ran across the sand, kicking small bits into the air and leaving a small fleeting mark on the desert. He released a small laugh into the hot dry air.

He soon made it to the oasis and sat under a tree that was fortunate enough to grow near such water in such a dry land. He sat underneath its rare desert shade and sighed, feeling the warm sand relax his muscles. The heat bothered many people. And for a time he was one of them. But he had grown out of that living with the nomads long enough. He closed his eyes throwing his trust to the wind to be accepted by the gods that his comrades would come and that there would be no trouble. And with that thought, he fell asleep in the warm desert sand.

Just under a mile away there was a building. Small, grey, bland, yet extremely noticeable given its location in a desert. Smoke trickling out a cracked window. In an instant the glass shattered and flames erupted from inside. A sickening crack from the structure could be heard all around as one of the walls came down and bits of the roof fell. One person ran out of the building faster than any normal person should've been able to run.

"Damn. That really hurt," said a harsh woman's voice. She was dressed similarly to a local with long garb to protect her from the setting sun, the high winds and the chill of the on-coming night.

"And nothing to show for it," she grumbled as she turned her back to the burning structure, wincing as a wave of pain from her back made itself known, "Dammit."

She sighed as she began walking (hopefully) towards civilization. She knew that she was not prepared to last days in the desert, and she had no way of alerting anyone as to her whereabouts. Her energy was rather low however. She walked briskly ahead, hoping that she would find civilization soon. Preferably with a phone.

Pain pulsed through her body with every step as it grew darker and colder, cruel winds dancing about and around, kicking up sand blinding her. She had wished she had not been so bull headed as not to bring back up. She barely noticed the dark shapes in her vision as she fell to the ground, unable to keep upright any longer. As she lost consciousness, she felt the cool sand hit her face, and a young adolescent's voice ringing in her ears.

-.-

Jumoke opened his eyes when he heard the familiar sound of foot fall in the sand. He opened his left eye curiously to peak that had come to visit him as it was not the usual clamor of feet that came with the nomads he usually traveled with. His eyes opened wide when he saw that the person who he had heard had collapsed into the sand. He jumped to his feet and darted over to the person feeling the slapping cool winds on his eyes.

"Hey," he said softly leaning over the fallen body, "Say something. Are you alright?" he asked. When the person did not answer he flipped the body over to get their face out of the sand. He had a blank look on his face to see a woman with a pale complexion. A few red hairs stuck out of her head garb.

"Aten, protect us," he muttered softly in halfhearted annoyance. He looked down at the woman again. Looking around he sighed. Quickly and silently he lifted her in his arms, surprised by a strange bulk on her back, like some sort of strange growth. His eyes slanted ever so slightly at this as he walked back to the oasis and placed her under the tree. He grabbed his canteen and splashed cool water on her face. Her eyes fluttered open revealing dark green irises before he was hit outside the head by something metal.

"Ow!" he cried as he jumped back away from the mad woman. She looked at him for a second before realizing what she had done. She jumped to her feet and made her way over to him. He flinched as she ran her hand over his head feeling for a covered bump.

"I'm sorry. I react poorly to being awoken," she said in a harsh yet somehow motherly voice. The boy hissed in pain.

"It's alright. It happens," he said feeling the pain subside. He felt the hand eventually come to the sore spot on his head, "Besides, you didn't look so hot a second ago. Maybe you should sit back down," he added with genuine concern in his voice. She looked at him oddly.

"I can take care of myself," she said stiffly. He held his hands up in defense.

"I'm not saying you couldn't, considering how hard you hit, it's just that there are so many things that can go wrong in the desert and some things are just not predictable. Anything can happen out here," he stated simply sitting down in front of her. She sighed and pulled her head garb down to reveal what looked like what could only be considered a war mask. One that mirror hawks.

"I believe I can handle myself," she reiterated. He merely nodded.

"Because of the intimidation in your mask right?" he asked innocently.

"No. I am of the Justice League. I can handle myself."

His eyes widened and he scooted back a bit. She was the real deal. She… she… she was dangerous.

"You don't say," he finally said keeping his voice as calm as he could. Her eyes sent daggers at him.

"You don't believe me?" she asked angrily. She took her famed mace from her sleeve and began to descend it to the ground. He ran back away from her as the mace hit the ground at the spot right next to where he was sitting prior. She looked up to see him on the other side of the water, his eyes wide with disbelief. He darted back over there as she was about to yell.

"You can't tell!" he begged with his voice and panicky eyes. She studied the boy before her. Earthlings were so confusing.

**Hate me. I know I shouldn't start other project but… I blame Melancholy's Sunshine for this and her story Young But Not. PLEASE DON'T HATE ME!**


End file.
